Tractor



Dec. 30. 1924- 1,521,458

E. B. MCCARTNEY K TRACTOR @f @wy/gmx YEB.M =CARTNEY TRACTOR Filed May 12, 1919 4 sheets-sheet 2 HTTOH/Yff www Dec. 30. 1924. Y 1,521,458

E. B. MCCARTNEY TRACTOR Filed May 12, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Wm m I ltatented Dec. 30, 1924.

UNITED N STATES PATENT OFFICE..

ELMER B. MCCARTNEY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, IWIINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR- TO TORO MOTGR COMPANY7 OF `MIlTllAlOLIS7 MNNESOTA, A GOBOBJATION OF MINNESGTA.

TRACTOR.

Applcationfiled May l2, 1919. Serial No. 296,372.

To all 'wlmi/2. it 'may concern Be it known that I, ELMER B. MoAnrnur, a citizen ct the United States, and resident ot Minneapolis, in the county 'ot Hennepin land State ot lviinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tractors, oit which the 'following is a specilication.

hfly invention relates in general to tractors tor propelling agricultural implements particularly ot the cultivating type.

The object of the invention is to provide a light, simply constructed, efficient and easily controllable tractor, particularly suitable ttor the attachment oit standard two-row cultivator parts and preferably having an internal combustion engine as its motive power.

Further particular objects are to! provide means for easily and accurately steering the tractor and guiding the cultivator implements between the rows of growing corn, cotton or other row crops, and means for making short turns at the ends of the rows or at the lield corners and similar places, while at the same time enabling the driver to conveniently and eftectually watch the operation and guide the implement.

,"1 further object is to mount the mot-ive and heavier parts ot the tractor at a low point for the purpose of giving the driver a `clear view and for stabilizing the machine, and further, while effecting a low center of gravity, at the same time providing high ground clearance at the points where the tractor passes over the plant rows.

My invention consists in certain constructions and combinations as hereinatter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tractor with a preferred cultivator attachment, and having one ot its drive wheels removed.

Figure 2 is a planl view ot the tractor Vpartly in section showing the operating mechanism Jfor the cultivator.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3, 3, et Figure11 on a larger scale.

Figure 1 is a longitudimil7 vertical section through the transmission casing mainly on the line el-t ot Figure 3.

The supporting wheels and fm1/ne.

The tractor is preferably supported by two front drive wheels 2O and a trailer' or caster wheel 6. The drive wheels are spaced to straddle the rows of plants, and the trailer wheel is arranged to run between the rows, as indicated in Figure 3. The wheels 5 are ot any preferred construction, and are provided with hubs 7, spokes 8 and driving gears 9. Axle pins, or stub-axles 10, on which the wheel hubs 7 are journaled, are attached to the lower ends ot steering knuckles 11, these knuckles: being pivoted between projecting ears 12 and 13 oit depending end trames or axle arms 14, which have their upper ends secured to the outer portion of horizontal tubular frame or axle members 15. The inner ends of the members 15 are secured to heads 16 and 17, mounted on the walls or' the transmission casing 18. The heads 16 and 17 are preferably arranged in axial alinement on oppo site sides of the casing, and are secured thereto by suitable means such as the bolts or screws 19. It will be seen that by this construction and arrangement the transmis sion casing 18, the tubes 15, and the depending arms 111, together form a transverse main trame with depending end frames, and that this trame Jforms the supporting axles for the drive wheels 5. It will also be seen that by the central location ot the casing 18, and the elevated position et the tubular members 15, a high ground clearance is provided between the wheels 5 and the casing- 18, and that the casing may occupy a low center ot gravity `position without interfer-r- `ing with the plant rows to bc cultivated. The casing 18 preferably depends below the tubular members 15 and it is also preferably provided with a central rib 2() on its under side, to which is secured the rearwardly extending trailer bar 21, which, as here shown, is formed of angle bars. A bracket 22 is secured to the rear end of the bar 21, and to this bracket is pivoted the forked caster arm 23 by means ot vertical pins 24. The trailer Cil T71@ power 251mlsf/nsson.

'lhc casing 18 is at the lower front end provided with a cylindrical extension 26 having an annular flange 27, to which is rigidly secured by means of suitable bolts 28, the flange 29 of the internal combustion engine 30. The engine may be of any suitable type, but it is preferably of the standard four cylinder vertical type, ybeing suppliedwith fuel from a suitable fuel tank 81, and provided with a radiator 32. The engine forms no part of the invention and is not illustrated in detail, but its flywheel 33 being secured to the` crank shaft Si is arranged to rotate in the chamber formed by the extension 2o' of the transmission casing 18. A. driving shaft 3G is mounted in line with the crank shaft 8l in suitable bearings 37 and 23S, preferably of an anti-friction type and the location of this shaft in the casing 18 aswell as the location of the engine may be any desired distance below the centerline of the heads 16 and 1T and axle tubes 15. Any suitable clutch mechanismA may be provided between the tly wheel 33 and the driving shaft 36, but/I have illustrated a simple clutch consisting of the conical clutch ring BS) lfastened to the fly-wheel 33, the interna clutch member 410 being secured to the shaft 36 by means of a hub 41, key 12, clamping nIutl 123, sleeve. la and shoulder' a5 on the shaft `6. il coil spring 46 bearing against the i' y-wheel and against a flange or disc i-7 mounted on a suitable thrust bearing /18 tends to hold the clutch in engagement. To disengage the clutch the shaft 36 is moved laterally through the bearings 37 and 3S, by means of the lever Lli9, pivoted to a bracket at 51, and engaging, through an adjusting stud and ball 5?), the end of 'the 'shaft 86. A brake disc 54 is secured` to the shaft 3G by means of a threaded nut'55, a sleeve 5G and a shoulder 57 on the shaft 3G, and a duet ring is pi'ovided with a brake face. of), The lever i9 is conneetedto aihandlerer (it) by a rod til and when the driver pulls the hand .lever the shaft 3G is first 'moved to force the clutch out of engagement and a` further movement engages the brake disc with the face 5S) and cheeks the shaft.

Above the shaft 36, in suitable bearings @Zand G3, is mounted the countershaft Gil, having spur gears and 6G, and beve-l gear (S7. 'Spur pinions 68 and 69 on the shaft 236 mesh with the gears and 66 and are adapted to be moved laterally on the splined shaft 36, by means ofthe collar 70, arm 71,

.and suitable beve-l gears 8O and81 are connected to the differential shafts 78 and housing T7 respectively and operate differentially in the usual way. The shafts T8 pass centrally through the tubes 15 and are connected, through universal couplings 82 to shortrdriving shafts S3, mounted in bearings 84e and 85 said shafts being provided with pinions Sti, preferably of the roller type, and meshing with the integral gears l) of the drive wheels 5. The bearings 811 and 85 are arranged in brackets 87 rigidly secured to the steeering knuckles 11, and both the pins 88 and S9 of the universal. coupling 82 are axially in line with the vertical pivot pin 90 of the steering knucklcsvll. This construction permits of the turning of thedrive wheels in either direction for `steering the tractor without in the least interfering with the power transmission tot-he wheels, as the short driving shafts83 turn laterally .around the same center as'theknuckles and wheels and the i.niversalA couplings compensate for the angularity of the shafts 83 andthe different-iai shaft 78. The power Afrom the engine is transmitted through the shafts and gearing heretofore described, to the differential shafts 78, and through the universal coupli ng 82 to the short shafts 83, the said shafts finally transmitting'the.power through the roller pinions S0 to the .bull gears 9 and drive wheels 5.

The steering um] controlling illecito/Wisin'.

:The-brackets 87, secured to thesteering Aknuckles 1l, are provided with forwardly projecting steering arms 91 having a pivoted connecting rod 92. A collar 93, having .aipin til, is secured to the rod 92 about midway betweenthe wheels 5 and a slotted arm 95, projecting' yfrom a` worm gear segment i "s the pin 9i. The gear segment Utl `is .journaled on a stud l? on top of the transmission casingilf andis engaged by a worm 98 inountedon the steering rod 9) between bearing lugs 101) ol alu'alfket lill.

' the slot.

`brake pulleys 105 are mounted on the differential shafts 7 8 within a. housing 106, comprised in the heads 16 and 17. Brake bands T, connected to theheads at 10S, surround the pulleys 105 and are attached to brake arms or levers 109.V Rods 109 connect the levers 109 to foot levers .110, pivoted at 111 to the standard 104. Then it is desired to turn the tractor short, one or the other of the brake bands 107 is tightened around the pulleys" by .means of pressure on one of the foot levers 110. The corresponding differential shaft and drive wheel will be slowedv up or stopped according to the pressure exerted by the driver on the foot lever and the tractor will swing around quickly and easily, the rear trailer wheelczfistering laterally around its pivot. prefer to provide means for locking the caster wheel 0 against lateral movement when operating the tractorI in straight row crop elds and releasing itvfor free movement at the ends of the rows. For this purpose a. slot 112 is provided in the hub 1123 of the castel' arm 2:3. Lugs 113 project from the bracket 22, between which a lever 1,11'is pivoted above tl i slot 112 having its lower end engaged in the slot when it is desired to lock the caster wheel. A coil spring 115 connected to the bracket at 116 and to the upper part of the lever 1141 at 117 tends to hold the lever in then it is desired to unlock the wheel the handle 118 of the lever is thrown backward, throwing the lower locking end forward out of the slot, and the spring is arranged to hold the lever in bot-h forward and backward posit-ion. lVhen it again is desired to lock the wheel the lever is thrown forward, and the lower end of the lever will automatically enter the slot and lock the wheel as soon as the machine assumes a straight course.

T/ic culti/mim' attac/wright and contr-OZ.

The hails 119 and cultivator frames 120 having cultivators 120 are detached from the tongue and wheels of the ordinary cultivalor and the bails are attached at their inner ends to the heads 16 and 17 of the transmission casing by being inserted in socrate or holesI 121, and are connected at their other ends to the depending axle arms ll in slots Supporting pins 12S are inserted in the arms 14C below the balls after they are in place. Clips 121` secured to t-he axley tubes hold the bails in an elevated position just below the tubes. A yoked frame 125, preferably the frame of the cultivattn' is attached to the axle arms 1-1 at 126 and carries the usual operating' levers 127, quadrants 128 and sliding implement adjusting bar 129. All the adjusting and controlling levers are arranged to come in close and convenient proximity to the driver, but as this arrangement forms no part of the present invent-ion it will not be further described in detail.

lt is evident that various changes and n'iodi'lications might be made in the `construction without departing froin the principle and scope of the invention and I do not, thereforeI` wish to conline myself strictly to the construction disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tractor comprising a transverse main frame, having depending end frames upon which, and below the main frame, driving wheels are mounted, driving gears on the wheels a casing, centrally between said end frames, drive shafts mounted on the main frame for transmitting power to the driving gears m the drive wheels, a power' plant and a primary power shaft mounted in said casing :in a plane below said drive shafts. and power transmitting means froni said power shaft to said drive shafts.

2. A tractor comprising a main transverse frame, having depending end frames upon which, and below the main frame, driving wheels are mounted, driving gears on the wheels a casing depending from said frame centrally between said end frames, a differential in said casing, transverse drive shafts mounted in said main frame for transmitting power from said differential to said gears on the drive wheels, a primary power shaft mounted in said casing in a plane below said differential and said drive shafts, and power transmitting means from said power shaft to said dilferential and drive shafts.

A tractor comprising a transverse main frame having depending end frames upon which7 below the main frame, driving wheels are mounted, driving gears on the wheels a casing, centrally located between said end frames, horizontal drive shafts journaled on the main frame, horizontal counter' shafts j ournaled on the end frames having driving connections to the driving wheels, universal joints between said drive shafts and said counter shafts, a power plant and a primary power shaft mounted in said casing, power transmitting means from said power shaft to said drive shafts and means for steering said drive wheels.

l. A tractor including an engine, a tra-nsmission casing attached to the engine, front drive wheels having drive gears thereon, stub axles upon which said wheels are mounted, casings extending from either side of the transmission casing and attached to the same to form a main supporting frame for the tractor, axle arms depending from said side casings, power shafts in said side casings7 steering knuckles pivoted on said axle arms, and means for operating same, and pinions carried by the power shafts and .meshing with said drive gears on said wheels.

A tractor ineludi-ngan engine, .a trainsinission casing attached thereto and having side casings .attaehedto either sidethereof, said side 'easi-ngs having depending arms', front drive wheels having drive gears thereon7 stuh Yaxles upon which said wheels are mounted pivoted on said arms, drive shafts journaled Vin the transmission casing and extending through the side casings, steering means connected to said axles, a power shaft in said transmission casing, power shafts in said side casings, and pinions meshing with said drivegears on said wheels and in turn driven from said power shaft.

6. A tractor comprising yan engine, a transn'iission easing attached to said engine and having side easings, said casings togeth er constituting a transverse main frame, Vdepending end frames upon which and helow said main frame driving wheels are mounted, hails having theirlower ends connected to the depending end frames and with the upper portions of the hails connected to said main transverse frames, said hails heing adapted to have iniplements eonneeted 'to their-'lower portions, `drive shafts ournaled in the mai-n frame for transmitting power tothe drive wheels, .apower shaft mounted in said transmission leasing in a plane helow said drive shafts, and power transmission meansrfroni said power shaft to said drive shaft.

7. A vtractor comprising an engine, a transmission casing attached thereto, side casi-ngs attached to the transmission casing, said casings forming a transverse main frame, depending end frames upon which and helow the main frame internally geared driving wheels are mounted, horizontal drive shafts having universal Couplings therein and journaled at one end in the transmission easing and having driving connections to the internal gears of the drive wheels7 power transmitting means from said engine to said drive shafts within the t-ransmission casing7 and means for steering said drive wheels.

ELMER B. MCCABTNEY. 

